


Remember When

by squintyangelcas



Series: Destiel Songfics [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bottom Dean, Cas has to watch Dean age and it's sad, Dean gets kind of angry about it too, Domestic Castiel/Dean Winchester, Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Hurt Dean Winchester, Hurt/Comfort, I promise there's a lot of fluff, I'm not really good at tagging, It's a lot fluffier than it sounds, M/M, Songfic, Sorry about the death btw, Supportive Sam, Top Castiel, but there's also some angst, it had to happen, sorry about that, you'll be okay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-30
Updated: 2015-07-30
Packaged: 2018-04-12 00:36:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4458593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/squintyangelcas/pseuds/squintyangelcas
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of memories based on Alan Jackson's "Remember When" from the time Dean and Castiel get together, up to the time they both say goodbye. Not for good, of course.</p><p>I promise, it's a lot fluffier than I'm making it out to be. Kind of.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Remember When

_**Remember when I was young and so we're you, and time stood still, and love was all we knew...** _

 

They didn’t mean for it to happen. It just sort of happened, one fine, sunny day after Dean’s arm was ridden of the Mark and Cas’ Grace returned to it’s normal state. It started out as a pat on the back, a silent, “Come with me.” and ended in Dean’s bed, with Cas’ limbs entangled in the hunter’s and his ear resting against his chest. Castiel counted every heartbeat, thanking his Father, who was nowhere to be found at this point, for each faint sound.

 

There weren’t many words exchanged—just a silent understanding that this was it for both of them. Sam didn't tease them. Claire didn’t snicker. Jody and Donna only smiled when they were informed of the news. When making love, they weren’t rough with each other. Cas never wanted Dean to feel pain that was inflicted by his hands ever again. Dean never wanted to see Cas bleed because of him.

 

_**You were the first, so was I. We made love and then you cried...** _

 

Their first time (which wasn’t actually either of their first times) wasn’t perfect by any means, but it was t _heirs_. It happened early one morning when Dean was sure Sam had gone for a run. The hunter couldn't help ghosting his fingertips along the strip of tanned skin underneath Cas' shirt when the angel stretched. Dean knew he was fully awake, of course. He didn't need to sleep, but he stayed with Dean and watched over him at night, keeping the nightmares at bay.

 

When Cas finally opened his eyes and decided to pay attention to this righteous man he had fallen in love with, so many years ago, he knew exactly what he needed. They had fooled around before, but it never went beyond touching each other with their hands and occasionally, their mouths. They both knew that the other was ready for this, though. And so Cas went for it. “Relax, Dean.” The angel whispered before gracing him with a touch that felt like it was made from stardust. It seemed like Cas knew exactly where to touch, and Dean supposed that he probably did. He'd probably known for a very long time.

 

Neither of them lasted very long, but they didn't seem to mind. There would definitely be more of this. When they finally caught their breath and caught a good look at the other, Cas noticed that there wear tears brimming his lover's eyes. He didn't say anything. He _knew._ Instead, the angel wrapped his arms around Dean and held him closer than he ever had before. They laid there for the better part of a long while, until they weren't able to tell who's body was who's.

 

_**Remember when, we vowed the vows and walked the walk. We gave our hearts, made the start, and it was hard...** _

 

It was a small ceremony, consisting of only the people they held dearest to them. Sam was Dean's best man, as he always had been. Cas relied on the help of Jody to pick out a perfect, but reasonably priced ring for his husband-to-be, while Dean fished out his mother's old ring from the bedside drawer. Charlie, Kevin, and Bobby were all there, lingering in the heart of everyone who heard these two men whisper their vows to each other. Claire took pictures and for once, nobody's smile was forced.

 

They kept hunting for a while after that, as a married couple. Sam sometimes tagged along, but more often than not, stayed behind at the Bunker to do research and make sure Claire didn't get into any trouble. Donna and Jody often visited as well and Sam _swore_ he noticed them holding hands under the table each time they sat down and ate dinner as a small family.

 

_**We lived and learned, life through curse. There was joy and there was hurt...** _

 

Their first fight as a married couple bitch slapped Dean in the face harder than he could have ever imagined possible. It was the stupidest thing in the world, too. Castiel had noticed that the hunter's hair was starting to gray, and he pointed it out teasingly, Dean flipped. Every emotion he'd ever felt balled up into one and made his stomach hurt as he stared at his husband and just screamed. Not because he was angry. He could never be angry with Cas. No, he was angry at circumstance this time.

 

Cas' dark hair never grayed. And Dean noticed.

 

_**We came together, fell apart. We broke each others hearts...** _

 

Dean confronted his husband about their fight a few weeks later, and broke down the moment the words slipped past his lips. Cas held him then, and reassured him that everything would be alright. He refused to tell him what he wanted to know most, which was, “Where will you be when I finally move on, Cas? This life hasn't killed me yet, but it will. One day.” Castiel simply stayed silent.

 

That night, when Dean fell asleep in the angel's arms, his eyes stayed open as he ran his fingers through Dean's hair and whispered softly, “I will always be with you, Dean Winchester.”

 

_**Remember when the sound of little feet was the music we'd dance to week to week...** _

 

Castiel never asked Dean for a family. He knew what the answer would be, and he knew that there was a good chance of the hunter getting angry with him. So when Claire visited one day and handed him a small box, it was his turn to break down. When Dean walked into the kitchen and found them there, holding each other, he knew. Of course he knew.

 

After that, there was always at least one toddler running around the Bunker. Claire and her husband moved to Lebanon with some money left over from Jimmy and Amelia. Cas' new nickname was 'papa' while Dean took to the nickname 'grandpa'. “It fits you quite well, what with the gray hair and the wrinkles.” Cas teased him before they went to bed one night, a grin plastered on his lips. The hunter didn't find his husband's comment funny, but he kept his mouth shut.

 

_**Brought back the love, we found trust. Vowed we'd never give it up...** _

 

The years flowed by steadily after Dean and Cas stopped hunting. Occasionally, they helped Sam with research for the younger, newer generation of hunters, but they had laid their guns to rest. Dean still kept a jar of holy water and salt under their bed, but things in the world were somehow peaceful, despite the things they knew went bump in the night.

 

It happened on a cold, rainy night. Castiel had been clearing his husband's cholesterol for years and years after every burger he ate with the touch of his finger and a hint of Grace. Dean, of course, never noticed. That was, until the angel stopped a heart attack right before it happened. Dean felt his chest tighten and suddenly, he couldn't breath... but Cas was right there with him. “You know, you can't keep doing that.” He muttered before rolling over and going back to sleep.

 

_**Remember when thirty seemed so old. Now looking back, it was just a stepping stone to where we are, where we've been—said we'd do it all again...** _

 

There wasn't anything either of them could do to stop their loved ones from passing, even Sam. The younger Winchester was content with welcoming death, and his older brother definitely wasn't far behind him. They said their goodbyes in a hushed whisper one night before giving each other a big hug and holding on tightly, for dear life. Castiel watched them and suddenly felt a pang of sadness, knowing his husband would soon be without the person he'd spent most of his life loving and protecting.

 

When it finally happened, Castiel was surprised as he watched Dean compose himself quickly and calmly. Sam received a Hunter's Funeral this time, and was buried in the soft earth behind the Bunker. Castiel visited him often, but never at his burial site. There was nothing there. No, instead, he visited his brother-in-law in Heaven, where he watched his most beloved memories replay as they chatted. “It won't be much longer now.” Castiel commented during one of their conversations and Sam only nodded, because he understood.

 

_**Remember when we said when we turned gray, when the children grow up and move away... We won't be sad. We'd be glad, for all the life we had, and we'll remember when...** _

 

“Cas,” The former hunter spoke softly one night as they laid in bed together. He'd been feeling crappy all day. His back was sore and his skin was cold. Castiel didn't even need to say anything. He didn't need to cry, and he knew Dean didn't need to either. They both knew that he'd be here all night, holding Dean and making sure that his transition went alright. Castiel took away any pain the love of his life might feel by pressing his lips to Dean's forehead and keeping them there as he faded.

 

When the morning came and the sun rose over the hill-less plains of Lebanon, Castiel called Claire and invited her over to attend Dean's funeral. She helped with the burial and afterward, said her goodbyes to Castiel. “I'll be back to visit.” He whispered as he pressed a kiss to her forehead and slipped her the key to the Bunker. After all, everything was being left to her.

 

Dean wasn't surprised when, in his own, personal Heaven, he heard a knock on his door. Grinning, he opened it and flung his arms around Castiel, who held him tightly without protest. “I'll always be with you.” Cas whispered softly when he pulled back and got a good look at Dean, who looked exactly like what he remembered after he pulled him from Hell. His skin was covered in freckles instead of scars, and the only wrinkles were the laugh lines around his eyes. His hair was a sandy blonde color that Castiel knew would look beautiful in the warm glow of Heaven's sunset.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed that. I'm sorry if it wasn't as fluffy as you wanted it to be. My friend on Twitter gave me the suggestion, and I turned it into something that was actually really heartbreaking. I promise, I'll make up for it.


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